New and Improved iCloud Website Exits Beta

Apple launched it’s iCloud.com cloud services portal to the public on Thursday. Previously only available in beta format to developers, the site is now available for all iCloud users, allowing them to share content and information over multiple devices.

The site includes a revamped Find My Phone app that features a “lost mode” that allows a user to lock a device if it’s lost or stolen and send a contact number to the phone, so that whoever has the device can contact the owner.

The new web based Mail app includes the same VIP list feature that iOS devices will offer with iOS 6. The feature sends an alert to the user when emails arrive from selected contacts.

iCloud replaces MobileMe, the for-pay cloud sync and storage service that was plague by outages during its lifetime.

The new service offers users 5GB of storage for free, although only certain files count against the storage amount. Content purchased from one of Apple’s stores do not count against that limit. Email, stored documents, app data, and iOS device backups do however, count.

If a user finds they need more storage, additional storage capacities of 10GB, 20GB, or 50GB can be purchased for $20, $40, or $100 per year respectively.